


Plagued

by OhNoMyEdge



Category: The Lorax (2012)
Genre: (But Greed doesn't actually know he has feeling for Oncie), Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Blood, Flowers, Greed has Slight Paranoia/Anxiety, Hanahaki Disease, M/M, Mild Gore, No Dialogue, No Plot/Plotless, Onecest, Oneshot, Open to Interpretation, The Greed-ler and The Once-ler are related, Unrequited Love, neglect mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-19 00:34:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29498898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OhNoMyEdge/pseuds/OhNoMyEdge
Summary: Greed was cursed, there was no other explanation.
Relationships: The Greed-ler/The Once-ler (The Lorax)
Kudos: 3





	Plagued

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr link for those who want to view it there: https://ohnomyedge.tumblr.com/post/643320049406476289/here-have-some-more-angst-onecest-although-this

Greed was cursed, there was no other explanation.

He was cursed with a mysterious illness that he'd never heard of before, one that caused him great pain. One of the symptoms of this illness was that flowers bloomed inside him. He could feel them. They grew in his lungs and down his oesophagus, their thorns cut deep into his flesh. Every time he breathed he could feel the tickle of the petals brushing up against his insides. Ever since he was plagued with this illness he'd had trouble breathing. His voice was hoarse and his throat was always dry.

But that wasn't the worst part.

The worst part was when he coughed up the flowers. Sometimes he'd wheeze and cough and he'd find blue petals, covered in blood, in his hand. Every time he coughed up the petals, he could feel the thorns cutting further into his skin causing blood to come sputtering out of his mouth. Greed could constantly taste the metallic tang of blood at the back of his throat.

Countless hours had been spent on the internet doing research on what was wrong with him. He always turned up empty handed. No matter where he looked, who he asked, he had never got any closer to finding an answer. Most of the people he anonymously questioned didn't believe him. They told him that 'biologically there was no way flowers could randomly start growing in his lungs'. The ones that did take him seriously enough told him to see a doctor, as it sounded like his health was at risk. But Greed couldn't face going to a doctor. Even with physical proof, he doubted that the doctors would believe him. They would call him out on wasting their time, news would spread fast to the public, everyone would deem him as 'the crazy man who believed he had plants growing in him'. His reputation would be ruined, nobody would ever take him seriously again. The thought caused him to feel queasy.

It was difficult hiding it from everyone. Countless times he'd have to excuse himself from meetings to have a coughing fit just out of ear-shot. He'd stopped going to parties or to events in fear that he wouldn't be able to find a place hidden from the crowds. A few of his employees and acquaintances had come up to him and inquired if he was sick. It had become harder and harder to lie about his condition to them. The only people he felt like he didn't have to bother hiding it from were his family. No matter how much he coughed or how much pain he was in, they never paid him any mind. For once he was glad for their neglectful nature. He could only imagine what they would think if they found out about his illness. It would be turned into the punchline for every joke, much like many things about him were.

The only family member that he couldn't hide it from, that cared enough to know that something was wrong, was his brother, Oncie.

When the flowers first started growing in him, Oncie picked up on it immediately. He'd commented on Greed's frequent coughing and asked if he'd been to a doctor about it. Greed had assured Oncie that it was nothing to worry about. Oncie wasn't convinced, however. Every time Greed broke out into coughs, Oncie would stop what he was doing, rub his back, and ask him if he was alright. Greed noticed that Oncie had started to carry a bottle of water around, just to give to him when he finished coughing. He'd always pester Greed about going to a doctor. Once it got so bad that Oncie tried to drag him to a doctors office, in spite of Greed's protests. He'd only managed to get out of that by pretending that he'd already made an appointment. It took some persuading, but Oncie eventually bought the lie. He'd struggled to hide it from Oncie, but he had to so Oncie wouldn't worry. 

The whole thing made Greed feel conflicted. On one hand, it was sweet that Oncie cared so much about his health and happiness. Oncie never failed to make him feel happy and loved, visiting him was the one thing that Greed looked forward to. But on the other hand, Greed knew it was pointless. He couldn't visit a doctor, he doubted that anything could be done to help him. It's not like Greed could tell Oncie either, his brother was already concerned enough for him. If he'd told him that he had flowers growing in him, Oncie would probably freak out even more and never leave his side again. Not that he would mind that much. But still, he didn't want Oncie to be constantly worried about him.

Despite the happiness Oncie made him feel, even with his constant 'mother hen' attitude, Greed found it difficult to be around him. Greed wasn't sure why, but it seemed that his illness worsened when he was around Oncie. His coughing fits would be more severe, the flowers would grow at an uncomfortable rate, and he'd cough up way more blood. Greed was unsure of why he felt worse around Oncie. Maybe it was the fresh air making the flowers bloom faster? He talked and laughed more around Oncie, so maybe that caused the coughing? _...Was it Oncie himself?_ No, no it couldn't have been. Why would Oncie, one of the sweetest people he knew, cause him to feel so horrible? It didn't make any sense.

It made him feel angry. He was angry at the pain, he was angry at the people around him, and he was especially angry at the lack of answers. 

He wanted, _no_ , he demanded to know what was wrong with him!

_Why_ , why was he cursed with such a plague? And why did his brother, the one good thing in his life, make it worse?

**Author's Note:**

> I swear all I write is angst, like what is wrong with me? It's odd because I draw pretty much only fluff (with some gore here and there). I do plan on writing some fluff eventually, but I don't know if my angsty fingers will allow me.


End file.
